Concerns Grow Over Potential Trade Restrictions as Gov't Prioritizes Foreign Labor Recruitment Without Clear Regulatory Framework

Amid the government's push to attract more foreign labor to offset population aging, its seasonal workforce program is facing growing scrutiny, especially after the U.S. government banned imports of salt from Korea's largest sea salt farm over forced labor allegations. Labor exploitation, often driven by brokers who extort fees disguised as commissions, has been exacerbated by systemic flaws in the program's management, experts say. Concerns are mounting that other Korean exports, particularly agricultural and marine products, could face similar import bans, following confirmation that the U.S. State Department conducted an investigation into Korea's human trafficking cases, including the seasonal worker program, earlier this year.

Key Takeaways:

• The seasonal worker program was initially launched as a pilot program from 2015 to 2016 and implemented in full in 2017, with the goal of addressing chronic labor shortages in rural areas, especially at harvest seasons.
• In 2022, the government expanded the initiative, easing visa rules to allow more short-term foreign labor, but cases and allegations of human trafficking and labor exploitation continue to rise under the program.
• One recent case involves two seasonal workers from the Philippines who reported that a broker secretively siphoned off 2.75 million won ($1,958) from their pay without their knowledge.
• The broker reportedly set up an electronic transfer system tied to the workers' Korean bank accounts and retaliated by posting their photos online without consent and spreading false claims that they had used illegal drugs.
• Choi Jeong-gyu, an attorney at Wongok Law Firm, noted that local governments rely heavily on brokers to recruit foreign labor, making it difficult to hold them accountable.
• The number of human trafficking cases linked to the seasonal worker program has risen steadily, from three cases in 2023 to 12 in 2024, and twelve already reported in the first four months of 2025.
• Criticisms argue that the government's response to the U.S. President's executive order to review forced labor in foreign seafood supply chains came too late and failed to address the underlying systemic issues within the seasonal labor program.

Statistics:

• 2.75 million won ($1,958) was siphoned off from the pay of two seasonal workers from the Philippines by a broker.
• As of April, 27 cases of human trafficking were confirmed, with the number rising from 3 in 2023 to 12 in 2024 and 12 already reported in the first four months of 2025.
• The number of cases linked to the seasonal worker program was 5 in 2024 and 9 so far this year, all of which involved labor exploitation.
• The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began enforcing the salt import ban on April 2, following petitions submitted by Korean advocacy groups in 2022.

Sources:

• "Labor exploitation, often driven by brokers who extort fees disguised as commissions, has been exacerbated by systemic flaws in the program's management, experts say." - "Concerns grow over potential trade restrictions as gov't prioritizes foreign labor recruitment without clear regulatory framework", Korea Times
• "According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, a total of 27 cases had been confirmed as of April." - "Concerns grow over potential trade restrictions as gov't prioritizes foreign labor recruitment without clear regulatory framework", Korea Times
• "The number has risen steadily in recent years - from three cases in 2023 to 12 in 2024, and 12 already reported in the first four months of 2025." - "Concerns grow over potential trade restrictions as gov't prioritizes foreign labor recruitment without clear regulatory framework", Korea Times
• "The number of cases linked to the seasonal worker program was five in 2024 and nine so far this year, all of which involved labor exploitation." - "Concerns grow over potential trade restrictions as gov't prioritizes foreign labor recruitment without clear regulatory framework", Korea Times
• "The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began enforcing the salt import ban on April 2, following petitions submitted by Korean advocacy groups in 2022." - "Concerns grow over potential trade restrictions as gov't prioritizes foreign labor recruitment without clear regulatory framework", Korea Times